The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-01-14
AN oLD.FAsHloNED CUSTOM.
Pleasant Features of the House
Warming OF Our Ancestors.

Pleasant Features of the House
Warming OF Our Ancestors.
The old fashioned custom, whenever
j. new house was built. of celebrating
the occasion with what was called
rousing housewarming grew out OF a
hearty recognition of the fact that, even
after architect, carpenter. mason: anu
decorator had done their best, the house
was still no fit place for human beings
to i've IN till all the rooms in it had
been set aglow, not merely with fires
in every chimney place, but with faces
radiant with happiness and hearts
throbbng with love and cordiality. Till
that was done the building was felt to
be Il mere affair of brick. mortar, luI-
ber, and nails, and no more like true
abode than a dead body is like a living,
loving man or woman. 1t is pity that
SO many of these old customs have been
given up, for they served to emphasize
from the outset. and in picturesque
way. never afterward to be forgotten.
IDEAS that always ought to remain fresh
and warm in the mind. Like christen-
ing the baby, this christening the house
was religious act of dedicating it to
Il high and beautiful end.
The man is a poor churl of Il fellow who.
having Il home, however humble, does
not feel that one of the happiest of all
life's privileges is that of playing the
host in it. So far as the house goes.
it ought to enable him to sympathze
with what must be the highest blessed
ness off deity itself. True, it is not the
wide, glorious universe, with its starry
heavens, mountains, seas, lakes. and
groves, but STILL though a small thing,
it Is his own, and gives him something
royal to bestow on others-a warm well
come, the contest seat by the fire. the
best cheer he can command on the
table, and dainty. springy, inviting
bed to sleep in. No wonder, then,
the word hospitality has in all ages Sc
cured itself such fond. nesting place
in the human breast, for never is man
or woman seen to more advantage than
under the respect of truly cordial host
Or hostess. Now, there is a great deal
of this kind of hospitality in the world,
and no end of the happiest recollec-
tions of long lifetime are bound up
with delightful experiences of hours.
days, and weeks spent in just this sun
ny atmosphere. But ought not so es-
sentially generous an idea as this of
hospitality to have still wider and
more generous Interpretation put on itp
No doubt it is fine thing to make q
uya1,o,,,n t1
armchair, and sleeping room, but is not
great deal more than this essential in
picturing the full characteristics of the
ideal host and hostessp The essenti al
mark of hospitality is, ofcourse, quick
and delicate perception of the wants of
the guest, together with delight in minis
tering to them. If he is hungry, feed
him; if cold, warm him: if sleepy, speed
him to bed. But how about entertain
| ing his ideas and sentiments, as we'll as
his senses, and giving these, likewise,
q generous welcome? The host or
hostess that knows how to bring these
finer and shyer visitants out. and smile
upon and cheer them as they begin to
| flow, will not such one warm and eX-
hilerate the spirits of the sojourner I'M
| der their roof as no mere blazing fire.
place can? Indeed, ministerng deli
cately to the senses of the welcomed
guest, what is this at best but kind
of preliminary for making him comfort
able and setting at his ease; while the
highest and royalist form of hospitality
only begins when a bright, sunny vel
come is extended to the wisest, wittest,
sweetest, and most charming elements
in a mans mind and heart? Perhaps
he has no great measure of any OF
these. Well. then. to bring out the
best he has in him and help him to set
it in the best light
More than one of the wisest and
greatest of men have put on record that
they never yet met anyone in life from
whom they could not learn something.
Now, what clear comfort for any pool
fool Of Il fellow like the most of us tc
have been the guest of one of these
| NeHtons or Bacons and to have seer
the fine smile of satfaction light up his
wonderful face at our actually telling
him something new and interesting
We would remember the fact Years af
ter we had forgotten whether the bet
he gave US was hard or soft cr the steal
tender or tough. Indeed, it can be de
PENDED on that no home ever gets th,
best kind of house-warmng till it ha
become place which friends long t,
flock because they feel that an atmos
phere prevades it in which they tall
better, laugh more cheerfully, reve
more freely in their richest sentiments
than they can anywhere else. For ;
welcome after this fashion they will for
sake the downiest of couches and tn,
most delicate of viands. and go gladl,
where, though the fare is scantier, th,
hospitality toward thought and feeling
is so thousandfold more cordial. - Dos
TON Herald